The Virginia Ice Cream Trail
by WedJes.Writes
Summary: It's 1998 and Colonel Riggins remarks on his favourite part of working at the Blackwing facility. It's a quiet moment that passes all too quickly. Even though he knows he shouldn't think it, he knows that this is somewhat like a family.


1998

Virginia

The ice cream trail

Riggins had fallen into his promise of visiting the entire Virginia Ice Cream Trail quite by accident.

A year earlier, there had been an attempted break out at the Blackwing facility, and the generators had failed, sending the entire building into shut down.

For almost three days, the children had been locked in their rooms in the pitch black, the oxygen failing.

There were no casualties.

But it had seemed only right to allow the children out in the fresh air following the incident, a few were even possible to take out on a _controlled_ day trip break, and so Riggins selected a suitable group. Accompanied by two guards, they had taken an unmarked, black van out for a drive, at first with no designated destination. Admittedly, he had not thought that far ahead.

Even now, Riggins could still remember their faces, sat there, travelling in the back of the windowless van. They looked terrified. Likely as many had travelled _to_ Blackwing in a similar fashion.

However, as an idea dawned on him, and he directed the driver by map, he was all the more convinced that this was going to be a good idea.

Untrusted to leave the van themselves, the children -regardless of age- were lifted out onto the sidewalk, and their eyes immediately widened at the sight of the brightly painted, and decorated ice cream parlour before them.

That moment had made everything worthwhile for Riggins.

Now in 1998, they were on their third bi-annual trip out, and the number of children who were allowed to participate had been rounded down considerably.

The youngest was project Lamia, at only six years of age. Young Mona Wilder had decided to be a napkin dispenser not long after their arrival, and was now sat on the table as stationary as- well, a napkin dispenser.

Second was project Icarus at twelve. Svlad had not touched his ice cream, and instead sat with his head hung. He was very quiet today and his eyes were very red and sore- the wire mechanism they used to hold them open probably needed redesigning, either that, or he'd need more rewards to stop resisting.

Then finally was project Marzanna, sixteen and shovelling ice cream into her mouth, enjoying herself at the very least. She seemed to be the only one.

Well, that wasn't true. He was sure Mona was over the moon at the prospect of being a napkin dispenser.

Riggins lifted his coffee to his lips and took a sip, observing the children from over the rim. He hardly needed to keep a close watch on them, there were men posted all over the shop, in fact they made up most of the clientele. But there was something very pleasing about watching the three of them- the two of them, and a napkin dispenser- in this setting.

These damaged things were in a florescent coloured booth, faced with tall glasses of toothache inducing ice cream, and nothing seemed more obscure.

Riggins smiled privately from behind his mug, and almost thought that it was somewhat like having a family, _like_ having a family. But probably not a family that anyone would want.

And then the moment was spoiled as he was tapped on the shoulder.

"How much longer do we have to stay here?" the man asked, his gaze still dead ahead, focused on the children,

This Mr Priest was an odd one, the way he watched the children was uncomfortable- it could have been contempt, or even disgust. Riggins was sure he wouldn't last long at the facility.

He dampened his lips and put his coffee down, "When the subjects have finished their ice cream" he answered in a measured tone,

Priest chuckled humourlessly, as though that was the most ridiculous thing he had ever heard.

Riggins sighed and shook his head, going to take up his drink once more, before being interrupted again very quickly,

"Family day out?"

The question came from a waitress, a different one to who had served them earlier.

He coughed awkwardly, almost spluttering his coffee, and put his hand on his chest to steady himself, "Oh-" he said, looking about the table once more, now a little in panic, "-oh, yes- these are my sons Prie- Peter. Peter and Svlad, and my daughter Bart"

Riggins looked over to Priest, who was now glaring at him. He picked up Mona's uneaten ice cream and pushed it towards him, "Eat your ice cream Peter"

This did not seem to make Priest any less furious,

The waitress smiled brightly, "Well ain't that sweet? How is everything for you?" she asked,

He smiled back to her, confident in his on-the-fly lie, "Fine thank you"

She nodded to him warmly, but her attentions seemed to be elsewhere now, as her bright expression soon defused, "How about you? Svlad is it? You look upset, are you alright buddy?" she asked, stooping a little to try and catch his eye.

Svlad sniffled, and looked up slowly, his eyes wide with something akin to fear in them, "Well- the wires hurt and-"

Riggins cut in quickly, "Braces. He's just gotten braces"

The waitress tutted and frowned, "Ah, what a shame!" she exclaimed,

Svlad became even more downcast and sunk lower into his seat,

"Well just give me call of you need anything" the woman said, beaming again and waving as she started away from the table.

"Thank you" Riggins nodded, watching her leave.

As soon as the waitress was out of sight, he let out a long sigh and hung his head- that was far too uncomfortable, he'd have to figure out a more believable back story for the next trip.

Priest then shifted suddenly beside him, once again pulling him out of his thoughts- Mona now sat opposite the man, and she was slowly pulling her glass of ice cream back across the table, maintaining complete eye contact with Mr Priest as she did so.

"I don't like that one" he said plainly once Mona had started eating.

Riggins frowned and privately hoped once more, that Mr Priest would not become a constant installation at the facility, at least not while he was still around.


End file.
